Echiniscus ranzii Ramazzotti, 1964

Michalczyk, Łukasz & Kaczmarek, Łukasz, 2006, Revision of the Echiniscus bigranulatus group with a description of a new species Echiniscus madonnae (Tardigrada: Heterotardigrada: Echiniscidae) from South America, Zootaxa 1154, pp. 1-26 : 19-23

Echiniscus ranzii Ramazzotti, 1964 ( Figs. 69–71 )

Material examined

Syntype, slide no. CT 12742, mounted in Faure’s medium, from Cerro del Pajonal, Chile, South America (The Ramazzotti & Maucci Collection, Museum of Verona, Italy).

Description

Based mainly on the data from Ramazzotti & Maucci (1983). Body length 124.0 to 320.0, including larvae (syntype: 171.0) ( Fig. 69 ). Body red. Red eyes visible in living specimens only. Internal/external cirrus ratio ca. 0.33–0.50. Apart from head cirri and cirrus A, no other appendices present. Cirrus A 128.0–200.0 long (syntype: 87.4), ending in a point. Cirrus A/body ratio 0.50–0.90, mean = 0.66 ± 0.03 (syntype: 0.51).

number of specimens/structures measured). Specimens from population found in Peru.

Dorsal (plate) cuticle probably with true pores and with true granulation. Granules (true granulation, on cuticle surface) present on stripes in anterior portions of paired plates and in anterior part of second median plate. Granules variable in size (0.5–1.0 in diameter). Cuticle appearance in PCM: pores visible as bright, cuticular pillars appear as dark dots. Pores and cuticular pillars very well focusable, at same level.

All plates well developed. Head and scapular plates not faceted. Third median plate present and well developed, in smaller specimens developed anteriorly. Terminal plate faceted. Notches in syntype 14.3 long.

Small spine on legs I, papilla and dentate collar with 4–9 teeth on legs IV. External claws of legs IV with a single or double spur, internal claws of all legs with a relatively small spur, directed downwards ( Figs. 70–71 ). Sometimes spurs present also on external claws of legs I–III or just some of them.

Remarks

Since we were able to examine only one syntype and the original description was written forty years ago, the description of this species is relatively poor in comparison to other species within the bigranulatus group. However a set of characters makes this species very easily recognisable among other known members of the group (e.g., a very high Cirrus A /body ratio and the presence of spurs on external claws).

Geographic distribution

Known only from the type locality.

Type depositories

Type specimens are preserved at the Museum of Verona, Italy.

Etymology

The species was named after Professor Silvio Ranzii .

Differential diagnosis

For comparisons with other species of the bigranulatus group see Tables 7–8.

CHARACTER E. bigranulatus E. madonnae sp. nov. E.ollantaytamboensis E. ranzii

Richters, 1908 (type population) Miller et al., 2001 Ramazzotti, 1964 (neotype (from Puno, Peru) (original population) description and syntype)

Figures

FIGURES 69 – 71. Echiniscus ranzii. 69, habitus (dorsal view), 70, external claws of the IV pair of legs, 71, internal claws of the IV pair of legs; 70 – 71 not scaled (from Ramazzotti & Maucci (1983), modified).